Switch



Jan. 27, 1931 A. G. SITEINMAYYER SWITCH Filed: March 5. 1928 Patented Jan, 2?, 1931 v UNITED s'r ijeaeei ALWIN G. STEINMAYER, or MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin, nests-Non, BY nrnsnn ASSIGN- MENTS, TO LINE MATERIAL COMPANY, or soc'rn MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin, a con- IPORATION OF DELAWARE swIre Application filed March 5, 1928, Serial No. 259,290.

This invention relates to certain new and useful il'i'iprovements in switches and refers more particularly to that type of switch having a movable member including two blades 5 positioned in parallel relation.

methods in the thickness of the contacts'with which the blades cooperate to close a circuit, have made this construction impossible. As a result the blades have been loosely held in spaced relation at their outer ends, this construction having the disadvantage of increasing the tendency to bind during opening of the switch.

This invention, therefore, has as a primary object the provision of a switch of the character described having means for rigidly connecting the outer ends of the blades in such a manner as to con'ipensate for the thickness variations of the contacts with which the blades are used.

And a further object of this invention resides in the provision of a switch construction of the character described having the outer ends of its blades connected-by means of a stud having right and left threads whereby the distance between the blades may be adjusted by rotation of the stud.

\Vith the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodin'ient of the hcreindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated one complete example of-the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a switch embodying my invention; and

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through lligure 1 011 the plane of the line 2- -2. i

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing; '5 designates a panel or like support on which a pair of fixed contacts 6 and 7 are mounted, the contactshav ing extensions 8 in electrical connection therewith for mounting terminals 9 with which the adjacent ends of a line, not'showin are electrically connected. The contacts are of substantially inverted T-shape, the heads thereof being secured to the panel 5 and their stems forming the contacts proper, the, stem orweb 10 of the contact 6 being apertnred ai'id'having apair of blades 11 pivotally connected therewith, one on each side, by a pivot bolt 12. The outer or freeends of theblades are maintained in spaced parallel relation by a right and left screw stud 18 threaded in apertures 14 in the outer ends of the blades, the ends of the studs 13 being slotted to facilitate turning thereof to provide a micrometer adjustment of the spacing between the blades, the adjustment being maintained by lock nuts 15 thread-ed on the outer endsof the studs.

Secured to each side of the web 16 of the contact 7 is a spring contact clip 17 betwee? which'and the adjacent side of the web 16 the blades are clamped when in contact making position; the web 16 being further'provided with a locking recess 18 in its upper edge with which an L shaped locking lever 19 cooperates in the usual manner. The locking lever is pivoted'at its apexby a pin 20 passed througlji the out-er ends of members 21 riveted or otherwise secured to each blade and is spring urged to its locking position by, a spring 22 coiled about a stud 23 passedthrough aligned apertures in the blades and held. in position by the members 21 extending over a portion of its ends. r

The upper'arm 24 of the locking lever is adapted to be engaged'by a toe-25 formed on an extension carried by a ring member 26 pivotally mounted on the stud 13 by a bush-. ingQT, so that when opening force is exerted on the ring member 26, the toe 25 engages the adjacent end 24 of the locking lever to move the same out of the recess 18 and free the switch for opening movement.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which an invention of this character appertains, that I have provided a switch construction in which the blades are rigidly connected at their outer free ends and in which the space therebe'tween may be readily adjusted.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is:

1. In a switch having a pair of stationary contacts, a pair of spaced blades hingedly connected with one contact and engageable with the other to close a circuit, and a left and right screw stud threaded in aligned V apertures in the outer ends of the blades to maintain the same in their proper spaced relation.

2. In a switch of the character described, stationary contacts, spaced blades hingedly connected with one contact and engageable with the other to close a circuit, locking means carried by the free end of the blades and engageable with the last mentioned stationary contact to secure the switch closed, a handle member operable to release the locking means and free the switch for opening movement, and a stud threaded in aligned apertures in the outer end portions of the blades to maintain them, in their proper spaced relation and pivotally mount the handle member between the blades, said stud having its ends oppositely threaded to provide a micrometer adjustment of the space between the blades,

3. In a switch having stationary contacts, spaccdblades hingedly connected with one contact and engageable with the other to close a circuit, a handle member mounted between the switch blades at their outer ends to facilitate opening and closing of the switcln'and a stud passing through an aperture in the handle member to pivotally mount the same and threaded in aligned apertures in the outer ends of the blades to maintain the same in their proper spaced relation, said stud having its ends oppositely threaded to provide a micrometer adjustnient of the space between the blades.

4. In a switch having a pair of stationery cmitacts, a pair of spaced blades hingedly connected with one contact and cngageable with the other, and a single means rigidly connecting the tree end portions of the blades, said means being adapted to simultaneously move the blade free end portions toward and from each other to adjust the distance therebetween. V

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

ALWIN e. STEINMAYER. 

